Let’start from the beginning: what’s the famous vacchetta leather?

Vacchetta is a leather that is obtained from cow hides and then is tanned with vegetable extracts. I would like to point out, given the ongoing requests, that no animal is killed for its skin. On the contrary, the raw hides used by our tanneries are the discarded by-products of the food industry producing meat for human consumption. In our company we have always produced Tuscan vacchetta, it’s our tradition and our history. Over the years, the product has changed, particularly thanks to technology and research: vacchetta, originally, was the leather used by craftsmen to make shoes for shepherds, hunters and also for the army, while now it is far more versatile and suitable to produce a wide range of products.

That’s the point: what kind of products is it possible to realize with vacchetta?

Vacchetta is used to make any kind of leather accessory, from small leathergoods to bags and belts, in addition of course to shoes.

What are the characteristics that make it a unique material? Why is it a symbol of distinction?

The tanning process with vegetable extracts gives the leather a particular characteristic: the capacity of changing over time. We can say that products made with Tuscan vacchetta never get old but they simply change “look” over time: this is due to the reaction between sunlight and the tanning substances. These products, even in their ageing, remain always up-to-date. They don’t get ruined, we could say that they become ‘customized’ because their final look depends on the use every consumer makes of them.

And now information to consumers: how can we recognize a product made with this material?

It’s very difficult to distinguish if a brand-new product is made of veg-tanned or chrome-tanned leather, even for the most discerning and expert eyes. True recognition takes place over time and use, in fact, as I said before, products made with Tuscan veg-tanned leather express their customization over time. For all, however, there’s the Consortium guarantee label which, if placed on a finished product, certifies the use of Vegetable Tanned Leather of Tuscany.